Instructor Class Description

Issues in Feminist Theory

Contemporary issues in feminist theory as they affect studies of women, politics, and society. Content varies according to recent developments in the field and the research interests of the instructor.

Class description

Description: While all feminist theory is “political?by definition, in this seminar we will focus on recent work in feminist “political?theory. Feminist “political?theory is self-consciously connected in some way to the literatures, concepts, narratives and concerns of “political theory.? Our readings and discussions for this seminar will cover a broad range of recent work in feminist political theory. We will read and discuss one text per week for the first nine weeks of the quarter. During the final two weeks of the quarter, we will read and discuss every student’s final paper.

Student learning goals

General method of instruction

Recommended preparation

Texts: Seyla Benhabib, The Claims of Culture: Equality and Diversity in the Global Era;Wendy Brown, Politics Out of History; Drucilla Cornell, Just Cause; Jane Flax, The American Dream in Black and White: The Clarence Thomas Hearings; Nancy Hirschmann, The “Subject?of Liberty; Bonnie Honig, Democracy and the Foreigner; Martha Nussbaum, Sex and Social Justice; Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, A Critique of Postcolonial Reason; Iris Marion Young, Inclusion and Democracy.

Class assignments and grading

Assignments. Students will be asked to write short weekly response papers on the assigned readings. A final, longer paper will also be required. This is not a research paper, but a paper that critically engages with one or several of the assigned texts. Active and informed participation in seminar meetings is, of course, expected.

The information above is intended to be helpful in choosing courses. Because the instructor may further develop his/her plans for this course, its characteristics are subject to change without notice. In most cases, the official course syllabus will be distributed on the first day of class.Additional Information
Last Update by Seong-Nae Kim
Date: 09/28/2007

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Modified:April 23, 2014